Swarthmore is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, home to about 6,550 people across 1.4 square miles. Its ZIP code is 19081.
Homes sold for a median of $283 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Swarthmore; also Ridley and Springfield Township (Delaware County)
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Swarthmore. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
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| Nearest major airport | Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)6 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Philadelphia, PA14 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Swarthmore; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Swarthmore had 6,543 residents in the 2020 census, up 6% since 2000.
It’s the 436th largest of 2,568 towns in Pennsylvania by population.
Delaware County grew from 94,762 residents in 1900 to 576,830 in 2020.
Delaware County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 26°F. About 44.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 23 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Philadelphia Intl Ap, PA weather station (6 miles away).
237,233 jobs at 13,165 businesses in Delaware County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
123 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Swarthmore.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 3 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 9 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 6 |
| Mental health providers | 70 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 30 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (9 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Ridley SD, Wallingford-Swarthmore SD. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Park El SchSwarthmore | K–5 | 366 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Swarthmore-Rutledge SchSwarthmore | K–5 | 560 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geoge Crothers Memorial SchoolSwarthmore | K–12 | 130 | Nonsectarian | 0.2 mi |
| Milagre Kids SchoolSwathmore | 1–12 | 6 | Nonsectarian | 0.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Ridley and Springfield Township (Delaware County).
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.